Should Websites Come with a Content Warning Like Movies and TV?

When you walk into a movie theater or sit down to stream a movie, you know exactly what you’re getting into. There are warnings to let you know how age approriate it is and additional explanations available as well, such as extreme violence, strong language, sexual content, etc. Television now has warnings as well. Each episode starts with a warning about the age appropriateness of the show. Even music with explicit lyrics is noted.

At the same time, when we venture onto a website, we don’t know what we’ll find there. Thre could be extreme violence, strong language, sexual content, etc. Sometimes there are warnings, but not always. Shocking results can even turn up in Google searches. This is why we’re asking, “Should websites come with a content warning like movies and TV?”

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One comment

Miguelsays

> At the same time, when we venture onto a website, we don’t know what we’ll find there

I’d like websites to warn be about what they’re tracking, who they’re sharing this data with, what responsibility these 3rd-parties assume with this data, how my personal data is being protected, a promise that if this data is breached that I will be informed immediately, how long they plan on holding this data, whether 3rd-parties sell to other 3rd-parties ad infinitum. If, by visiting their site, I will be tracked across the web.

That would be useful and I can make an adult decision as to whether to visit the site or not. But you’re right, it’s scary to think that by visiting a sight we can quickly become assaulted in such a way…